CHEVROLET NIVA test drive since 2002 SUV

Kum to the king

They say there should be a lot of good car. You can’t take in quantity - lean on the assortment. The creators of Shevi-Niva did so. In the joint venture, GM-Autsovaz is completing the development of a new version of this car with a foreign engine and a changed transmission. A richly equipped all -terrain vehicle, focused on the Western European market, plan to produce in parallel with an existing model.
Foreign firms such as OPEL, FGP (power unit), Aisin (gearbox), Lotus (engine calibration), Bosch (ABS) and Delphi (air conditioning) (air conditioning) (air conditioning) are involved. The concept of the new version was worked out in the joint venture and the scientific and technical center of AvtoVAZ. The NTC experts conducted calculations and made constructive changes.
There is no serial car yet. There are prototypes for testing and argument. One of them managed to get to know each other better.
Clockwork mechanism
One of the main differences in the updated machine is the 16-valve Opelian engine Z18HA FAM-1 family with a working volume of 1.8 liters. This 125-horsepower engine will allow the field to type a hundred for 12 s and reach a speed of 170 km/h.
Initially, the unit was intended for Opel -Astra - a front -wheel drive car with a transverse engine. The motor is quite short - alas, insignificant in width, which is why difficulties arose when placing in the engine compartment. Much has been required to redo and adjust.
For example, I had to tinker with the points of mounting the suspension of the power unit - they are asymmetric at the imported motor. They made the original Carter pallet, because the full -time did not join with the gearbox of the front axle. Took into account the specific operating conditions of the all -terrain vehicle. In particular, they changed the design of the oil pump fence and provided for a special well, providing oil supply with significant car rolls.
The radiator of the cooling system is with increased heat transfer, and nozzles, hoses and expansion tank are more heat -resistant. After all, the Opelian motor is working normally up to 125 degrees! The power system has also improved. The tank was not touched, but the reverse plum of gasoline was organized directly in the fuel pump. The reverse line is not required here, which allowed to reduce the number of gas pipelines almost doubled. A more powerful engine required a new release system - it is from Tenneko.
Among the hinged equipment, in addition to the usual generator and a hydraulic pump pump, there is also a compressor of the air conditioner, because the latter is included in the standard equipment. Another feature is the exhaust cat -collector with a built -in catalyst. Only with him is it possible to fulfill the norms of toxicity of Euro III and Euro IV.
Infirm communication
The native clutch from the passenger astra was not suitable - an all -terrain vehicle needs a different margin of safety. They put more, with a diameter of 228 mm (against the usual 205 mm) - from the omega. The drive remained hydraulic, however, the traditional squeezing bearing gave way to the modern structure - with the central location of the cylinder in the clutch crankcase, also from Opel.
The gearbox is the Japanese company Aisin. This unit is found both on Toyota and Suzuki. In order for the control lever to fall into the required place - by the hand to the driver, the gear shift mechanism had to be created almost again.
The handout is rigidly attached to the gearbox. The benefit of a new constructive solution is obvious. Now the power unit is a single whole that combines the engine, gearbox and handout. The source of vibrations that arose in the field disappeared due to the disunity of these elements. The handout is placed in its original building, although it was created on the basis of Nivovskaya. Principal differences: all gears with a tooth profile, optimized in noise; Changed gear relations that coordinate the transmission with the characterization of the engine. The upper row has become a little longer, and the bottom is, on the contrary, a little shorter. A handout is controlled, as well as on a car manufactured today, one lever. After all, Chevrolet Niva, even in European performance, has preserved a permanent all -wheel drive.
The displacement of the handout forward (now there is no intermediate shaft) caused the instruction of the cardan shafts. The same they remained only on Shevy-Niva with a VAZ engine. In the European version, the rear cardan shaft has become tangibly longer. And the front was shortened and lost a noticeably. Outwardly, it very much resembles the drive of the wheel of Samara. Moreover, spins are used here instead of crosses. The hinges of the rear cardan shaft have remained the same, but perhaps in the series the details are unified.
The bridges did not touch. The gear ratio of the main pairs is the same - 3.9: 1. Only the sapons have changed. Instead of traditional caps (as well as in boxes), ventilation hoses were installed and they brought them to the body spar. Now the water will not be able to get into the crankcases of the units, even if the car lingers in a deep puddle for a long time.
SECURITY SERVICE
With increasing speed, more powerful brakes were needed. Ahead was installed ventilated brake discs, increased the main brake cylinder and a vacuum amplifier. Another novelty is the anti -lock brake system. They took the ABS -5.3 system as the basis - the same as for the VAZ dozen. The suspension did not go without attention. The characteristics of springs and shock absorbers are optimized for the changed weight data of the car and other speeds.
Seriously finalized the body. Now it is unified to install any engine. Particular attention of passive safety. As a result, about one and a half dozen additional elements appeared on the body that strengthen it in the necessary places. And in the list of compulsory equipment there are two airbags. The results of the control strike conducted in the laboratory of the NTC strike complex exceeded all expectations: the Chevrolet Niva in a new version is able to get three stars according to the Euroncap methodology, and with a margin!
For reference: foreign small all -terrain vehicles have the same amount. For example, the Freilender Land Rover and Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin/›Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin in 2003 received three stars, Nissan X-Trail and CR-V Honda are four of them.
Even in the updated car there will be the front seats from Opel-Astra with height adjustment. And plastic overlays and shelters will be mounted on wheeled arches.
The release of the European version of Chevrolet-Niva is scheduled for 2004. They say this modification will be sold in Russia. Therefore, to those who have a new version of Shevy-niva, it has only begun to wait for its production and ... price announcements.

The same pens control other units.

The front axle drive shaft is no longer cardan. At both ends are CV joints.

Opelian motor in an unusual position - along.

Among the hinged units, replenishment is the compressor of the air conditioner.

Developed brakes: instead of a sorcerer - ABS sensors.

Sergey Mishin. Photo: Alexander Batyr

Source: The magazine "Driving"